28 August 2006

Politics: Obama Gets Tested, Hillary Lends Muscle, Todd Reinstated

· Sen. Barack Obama and wife are in Kenya and took instant HIV tests before a crowd of thousands. Obama says the government has done a better job than most others in Africa of acknowledging the problem—but a fear of testing has slowed progress. Kenya is one of the very few African nations to include gay men in its outreach.

· A reversal of fortune for Patricia Todd, the openly lesbian nominee for Alabama Legislature. The state's Democratic executive committee voted to reinstate her candidacy to represent a historically black district.

Todd faces no opponent in the November election and will likely become the state's first gay legislator.